Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!

Sunday, March 1
Psalm 103
Deuteronomy 8:1-10





Luke 4 NIV
Jesus answered, "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone". 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'
9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:" 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."
12 Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Jesus was driven into the desert by the Holy Spirit into a process of testing and temptation.
He had entered into the arena of cosmic warfare when he marked the beginning of his public ministry through being baptised by John. The devil tempted Jesus in areas that were central to compromising the purpose to which he had been called.
Some would say that the temptations confronting him were those that every human being must face when choosing to follow Christ as Lord. The temptation of Jesus was also an echo of the 40 year desert wandering of the Jews prior to their entering the promised land.

There are several things we can learn from this scripture passage. If we want to enter the dimension of life in Christ that He desires for us, we must also be conscious of the ways in which the evil one will attempt to thwart us as well. The first thing is, is that the devil has only one set of tricks that he uses consistently. He is the deceiver. He tries his best to cast doubt on the truth of the word of God. As a result he calls into question the love and faithfulness of God, our faith in Jesus, and in His Lordship and provision. He is also a thief and a murderer.
We can only counter his deception in the same way that Jesus did! - with the truth of scripture. If we do so we will experience that he will leave us alone as well! "Resist the devil and he will flee from you"! James 4:7 Satan is also most likely to attact us when we are particularly vulnerable! Jesus was physically exhausted afted his 40 day fast. We can experience tha same thing when we are tired, ill, or under great pressure.
The main purpose of the devil is to hinder us from fulfilling the purposes of God in our lives. He wants to throw us off track so that we turn from God, deny Him, and fall in exactly the same way that Adam and Eva did at the beginning of time. "However, God is faithful! "He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it." 1 Cor. 10:13 NIV
Another thing that we can gather from this scripture passage is that God allows times of temptation and trials to strengthen our faith and to humble us. The character of Christ is formed in us when we stand firm in Him in the face of diversity and temptation. In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are commanded to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Our strength comes through the putting on of the full armour of God that we might stand firm aginst the devil's schemes. We are not to conduct our battles in the flesh, bu to rely on the power of God in our struggles. Remember, "greater is He that is in you, tha he that is in the world"!

Come and you will see!

Saturday, February 28
Psalm 30
Deuteronomy 7:17-26


John 1: 35-42

Jesus' First Disciples
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

John the Baptist didn't hesitate to point his own disciples to Jesus. His disciples didn't hesitate to follow Jesus. The preaching of John had created a yearning and an expectation that was so instense that it was only natural for them to follow Jesus. Imagine the awe and excitement that filled them as they follwed him, but didn't quite dare to approach him. They followed him so closely however, that eventually Jesus turned in his tracks and invited them to where he was staying.
We all start our walk following Jesus at a safe distance until our steps become so much in tune with his that he receives us with the same open invitation. He invites us into fellowship with himself. We have the opportunity to join Him. Andrew was one of those who spent the day with Jesus and could extend the invitation to his brother Simon as well. "I've found the Messiah! Come and see! " He brought him to Jesus.
We are invited into fellowship with Jesus. When we enter in, he reveals himself in his fulness to us. It is only natural that we also then run to our brother or sister and friends and say "I have found the Messiah! come and see!"

This oil painting is titled Ecce Agnus Dei (1464). The painter was Dieric Bouts the Elder (ca. 1415-1475) of the Netherlands. It can be found in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.

Behold the Lamb of God!

Imagine what it must have been like to be John the day that Jesus appeared at the Jordan river. John had been raised from the time of his birth with a consciousness of his calling as the forerunner of the Messiah. He was filled and anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit - the very spirit of Elijah while in his Mother's womb in order to call people to repentence and baptism. His conception and birth were miraculous and his upbringing carried the constant reminder that he had been born for this very purpose. While standing there in the water, surrounded by people of all sorts, pressing in from every side to be baptized - he suddenly saw him and recognized that it was He - the one who was to come! The Holy Spirit whispered in his inner being the revelation of who he was and who he was to become. It probably seemed as though all time culminated in that special moment when he recognized Jesus to be the Lamb of God!
That title contained an eternity of meaning and significance for the Jews gathered there at that time which is just as significant for us today. One can ask - Is it the Passover lamb that John is talking about - or is he referring to the lamb led to the slaughter in Isaiah 53:7? "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth: he was led like a lamb to the slaughter". Both references contain the same meaning for us. Jesus was to be the final sacrifice for our sin. Jesus, like the passover lamb would shed his blood in order to cleanse us of all of our sin, and to bring us out of the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of God.

Every one of us must experience a personal epiphany where we too recognize who Jesus is, and what He has done for us. Most of us can share how we were met by Jesus in this special experience of faith recognition. We can say together with John, " I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God"! Let us also together with John be bold in pointing the way for others who are searching to find Him!


Pastor Linda


Deuteronomy 7:12-16
Titus 2:1-15

John 1:29-34
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Psalm 35
Of David.
1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take up shield and buckler;
arise and come to my aid.

3 Brandish spear and javelin [a]
against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."

4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.

5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;

6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,

8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.

10 My whole being will exclaim,
"Who is like you, O LORD
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them."

11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good
and leave my soul forlorn.

13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,

14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.

15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
attackers gathered against me when I was unaware.
They slandered me without ceasing.

16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked ;
they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 O Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue my life from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among throngs of people I will praise you.

19 Let not those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
let not those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.

20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.

21 They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it."

22 O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent.
Do not be far from me, O Lord.

23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.

24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.

25 Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!"
or say, "We have swallowed him up."

26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.

27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, "The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant."

28 My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long.

Prepare the way for the Lord!

One of the things that strikes me time and time again when I read of God's relationship to his chosen people Israel is His endless patience, love and mercy. His relationship to Israel was to be a constant living example of His grace and loving kindness. The people of Israel disappointed him, betrayed him, and turned from him time and time again. In spite of their sin and unfaithfulness, God never rejected them. His eternal plan of restoration unfolded itself even as the Jews believed His prophetic voice to be silent. Suddenly, after centuries of seeming silence, John the Baptist appeared! He was calling his fellow man to repent and to receive forgiveness for their sins. He came proclaiming the coming of the Messiah that was promised and who had in fact already arrived in the person of Jesus. John was ready and willing to point to Jesus as the coming Savior even though it meant that his own days of life were numbered. The prophetic calling that had reached him even as an unborn child was the driving force of his life and his ministry. This was so much so, that when asked who he was, he described himself simply as a voice preparing the way for the coming Messiah. His purpose was completed when he pointed to its fulfillment - Jesus.

The Jews were not more faithless than we. They were chosen to demonstrate for all the world the nature of mankind and our universal need for the forgiveness of our sins. This passage confronts us with our own faithlessness and disobedience as we walk our path leading through life which at times can seem just as difficult as the desert wandering of the Jews.
John prepares the way for us even now in this desert, calling us to renewal through repentence and restoration in Christ. Let us turn to Him in our need to receive of his great and eternal grace and love. We are his treasured possession, his people. His covenant promises are eternal and true. He is ever faithful to preserve us through the abiding presence of his Spirit.

Psalm 37

John 1:19-28
John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"He said, "I am not.""Are you the Prophet?"He answered, "No."22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"26"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Deuteronomy 7:6-96

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.

Ash Wednesday

Today marks the beginning of our 40 day journey towards Easter. Eastern Orthodox Christians call Lent a season of "Bright Sadness". It is a annual journey through the darkness of the night of the soul to the brightness of the dawn of Easter.

It is a season for reflection, for meditation and growth in our relationship to Christ as his disciples. We refresh a consciousness of our own human condition and our need for salvation from sin and death. At the same time we are once again nurtured in our first love relationship to Christ where we marvel at his love and grace. Like the Jews who refresh their faith and trust in God through their celebration of Pesach, we also are reminded of the eternal hope that we have in our life in Christ through our celebration of the Easter season. It is however,, not merely a historical event that we celebrate. It is rather a recognition and a reminder of our daily need for the grace of God. We journey in the darkness, but we can see the light of a new dawn on the horizon which is the light of the kingdom of God. We journey as disciples of our Lord and master, and progress step by step in the radiance of the glory of his resurrection life. Let us covenant with one another in this season of bright sadness, in commiting ourselves to taking steps towards a greater depth in our love of Christ and for one another.

Traditionally, Lent has been a time of prayer, fasting and self-denial. These are disciplines that have fostered a greater focus on our relationship to Jesus. They have also contributed to a greater depth of spiritual maturity and power. I would venture to suggest that these are positive practices, but I would also encourage a greater focus on demonstrating our love in action in practical tangible ways. Find ways to extend yourself to others in the days to come. Phone someone and give them a word of encouragement. Meet to pray together and for one another. Be of practical assitance to someone. Practice "random acts of kindness". It will be exciting to exchange stories about our experiences in this journey towards the light.

Here are the scripture passages for today. Read each of them reflectively, asking the Holy spirit to speak to you through them. Use a note book to record your thoughts and impressions. Pray, using scripture as a foundation for your praise and confession.

May the Lord bless you in your pilgrimage!

Pastor Linda

Psalms 32 and 130
Jonah 3
Hebrews 12:1-14
Luke 18:9-14
Psalm 32 NIV

Of David. A maskil.
1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!